Who Was Sanballat in the Bible — In Biblical Context

The Biblical Context

Sanballat the Horonite appears in the Book of Nehemiah as the principal antagonist to the restoration of Jerusalem. He was likely the governor of Samaria under Persian rule, though his exact title is not stated. When Sanballat heard that Nehemiah had come to Judah to seek the welfare of the children of Israel, 'it grieved him exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.' His opposition took multiple forms. First, he employed ridicule. When the walls began to rise, Sanballat mocked the Jews before his companions and the army of Samaria: 'What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?' Tobiah the Ammonite added that even a fox climbing on their wall would break it down. When ridicule failed, Sanballat turned to conspiracy. He and Tobiah, along with Geshem the Arabian, plotted to fight against Jerusalem and hinder the work. Nehemiah responded by prayer and practical preparation — he armed the workers and posted guards. Sanballat then tried a more personal attack, sending repeated messages to Nehemiah inviting him to a meeting in the plain of Ono, intending to do him harm. Nehemiah refused, saying, 'I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?' Finally, Sanballat hired the prophet Shemaiah to prophesy that Nehemiah's life was in danger and he should hide in the temple. Nehemiah saw through this deception, recognizing that Shemaiah had been hired to frighten him and cause him to sin by entering the temple unlawfully. Despite every attack, the wall was completed in fifty-two days. Sanballat's story is a study in the methods of opposition to God's work: mockery, conspiracy, personal attacks, and even the corruption of spiritual leaders. His failure demonstrates that when God's people pray, work, and persevere, no opposition can ultimately prevail.

Where It Sits in Scripture

Supporting Passages